30 years of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes
The Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Declaration of Santiago de Compostela has been officially opened on the 23rd October in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia (Spain). The event is taking place within the framework of the international seminar “Camino de Santiago y Europa”, organised by Catedra do Camino de Santiago e das Peregrinacións, Compostela group of universities and the Xunta de Galicia.
The event celebrates the 30 years of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes, the first certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, exemplary symbol and model of cultural cooperation in Europe. In 1987 the Santiago Declaration stated that the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes “highly symbolic in the process of European unification, will serve as a reference and example for future projects”. Today, in 2017 this expectation may be said to have been fully realised.
The event celebrates the 30 years of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes
Particularly remarkable during the event was the presence of Marcelino OREJA Y AGUIRRE, Former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who opened the inauguration of the event, and Mr FERNÁNDEZ-GALIANO, Head of Culture, Nature and Heritage Department (Council of Europe), who gave a keynote address during the 23rd October evening. Beside Mr. DOMINIONI, Executive Secretary EPA, Director EICR, Mr MILLAN MON, Co-Chair of the Intergroup “Development of European Tourism, Cultural Heritage, Ways of Saint James and other European Cultural Routes” (European Parliament) has been among the eminent participants. The Route network has been representaed by Simone PETTIROSSI and Gerard BAUME, respectively President and Manager of the European Federation Saint James Way, Paolo CAUCCI VON SAUCKEN, Santiago de Compostela Scientific Committee was also present.